A statesman and former CEO of mining giant, Anglogold Ashanti, Sir Sam Jonah, says the fight against illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, will suffer setbacks until the chronic problem of the lack of opportunities and jobs for the youth is addressed.

“The economy is not creating enough jobs, and there is little opportunity for our youth. Unless we work hard to make sure that this economy is creating jobs, I am afraid we will lose this fight,” he said.

Sir Sam was speaking at an engagement with students of the Wisconsin University College in Accra last Wednesday.

Organised by the School of Communication Studies of the college, the engagement known as the Fireside Chat, provides a platform for distinguished personalities to share their experiences with students and also encourage them as they transition from academia to their chosen careers and aspirations.

Community engagement

Sir Sam also attributed the difficulty in dealing with the menace to the lack of involvement of mining communities in decision-making and the enforcement of mining laws.

He said the country had adequate and extensive laws on mining and how to deal with its environmental impact, but what was needed was the implementation of the laws through community engagement.

Students and management of Wisconsin International University College in Accra

“The laws are clear. Once you dig up, you have to fill it up. Don’t mine certain distances to the river, don’t mine in forest reserves.

The laws are there, so it’s not that we need more laws.

What we need is enforcement. 

“We can only enforce when we localise the fight and involve traditional leaders and community members,” he added.

He stressed that if traditional leaders and community members were involved in the entire decision-making regarding the grant of mining licences, it would be easier for them to help law enforcement agencies and officials to apprehend the unscrupulous people destroying the environment.

Galamsey fight

Illegal mining has been a topical issue for many years due to its devastating effect on forests, water bodies, negative implications on national security and the overall well-being of the country.

In recent times, there has been immense pressure on the government to declare a state of emergency on galamsey and take drastic measures that could deal with the menace.

However, during his maiden engagement with the media on September 10, this year, President John Dramani Mahama said he was reluctant at the moment to declare a state of emergency on illegal mining, asserting that existing tools provided enough powers to combat the canker.

“I have been reluctant to implement a state of emergency because we have not exhausted all the powers we have,” the President said.

However, the stance by the President received a backlash, with Influential groups such as the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC), the National Catholic Laity Council (NCLC) and the Ghana Coalition Against Galamsey (GCAG) describing the delay to declare a state of emergency as a betrayal of the fight against an existential threat to the country.

The GCBC, in a statement, said it was baffled by the President’s reluctance to declare a state of emergency when all signs showed that galamsey was not only an ecological problem, but also a “cancer in our national soul” which had become one of the greatest threats to national security and the country’s survival.

Recently, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, announced that the government would soon declare all forest reserves and water bodies in the country as national security zones as part of efforts to combat illegal mining.

Advice

In his advice to the students, the statesman said it was essential for the youth to take advantage of the opportunities associated with the current technological boom to educate themselves, build their careers and make meaningful contributions to society.

He bemoaned the trend of people using social media and other forms of technology to create unhealthy discourse and engage in irrelevant activities detrimental to their growth.

“We must be mindful of how we use technology. Using TikTok and other social media platforms to be wriggling your waist and dancing instead of using them to advance yourself will not be beneficial,” he said.

He further advised the youth to be unique in their own ways and not follow the general path.

Using himself as an example, he said he decided to learn mining engineering because he realised that it was not a career path favoured by many people at the time.

“You have to choose the line that will make you different. Ask yourself how you can be different from others,” he said.

The President of Wisconsin University College, Dr Lawrence Kannae, described Sir Sam as a global figure and a role model that the youth and everyone could look up to for inspiration and guidance.